1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to data processing involving vehicles, navigation and relative location. More particularly the invention relates to indication of aircraft performance. Most particularly the invention relates to indication of aircraft approach and landing.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Landing aircraft under challenging weather conditions and landing locations requires high pilot proficiency. This is particularly so for environments in which the sea contributes to landing conditions and runway size is limited such as on shipboard decks and stationary offshore platform pads. To ensure the required pilot proficiency is attained and maintained, experienced and specially trained personnel observe, assess and critique pilot approach to landing performance. Evaluations of pilot performance should be comprehensive, objective and standard. However, the evaluator's assessment of performance is limited to direct observations. It is possible for pilot actions that contribute to marginal or unsatisfactory performance to go unnoticed by an evaluator. Reporting of evaluation results in a meaningful format is also important.
Many Navy aircraft have advanced data recorders capable of storing accurate parametric data at high recording rates. Each type of approach to landing flown in a Navy aircraft has detailed procedures and related performance standards specifying how the approach should be flown. A typical approach evaluation assesses how well the pilot executes procedures, which can be correlated with reference to specific points or gates along the approach. Comparing an individual approach to these gates can be used to identify whether the individual approach matched the published procedure at the gates. This method only identifies if the individual approach matched the published procedure at each gate for the parameters in the procedures.
Every Navy aircraft type has a standard procedure for landing. Many fixed wing aircraft must be capable of landing aboard an aircraft carrier in bad weather, at night and in zero visibility. For example, the types of approach to landing for the F/A-18 Hornet are listed in Table 1. In addition to landing on aircraft carriers, many rotary wing aircraft must be capable of landing on the small landing decks of destroyers and amphibious assault ships. These approaches to landing demand a high level of performance from the aircraft and the pilot. Current training methods include instruction and grading according to the procedures and standards defined in the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) and other Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Navy pilots train and are graded continually on technique and execution of shipboard landing for a number of approach types in order to maintain their qualifications.
TABLE 1Types of Approach to LandingF/A-18 Hornet Fixed Wing Aircraft - On Shore Landing1. Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Left-Hand Landing Pattern.2. Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Right-Hand Landing Pattern.3. Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Straight-In.4. Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP), Left Hand Rules -   Case I (Fair weather approach, downwind leg to 180° turn to   final approach).5. Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP), Straight-In, -   Case III (Night or visibility below minimum due to weather).6. Emergency Approach (Straight in, field arrest gear if   available).7. Single Engine Approach (Straight in).F/A-18 Hornet Fixed Wing Aircraft - Ship Board Landing1. Case I, downwind leg to 180° turn to final (fair weather   approach).2. Case II, straight in approach to 10 nm, proceed as Case I   inside 10 nm (weather conditions such that flight may   encounter instrument conditions).3. Case III, straight in approach (poor weather and night   approach).4. Emergency Approach (Case III approach profile).5. Single Engine Approach (Case III approach profile).
Trained personnel grade shipboard landings. A Landing Signal Officer (LSO) is an experienced aviator who observes aircraft carrier landings from the deck. The Landing Signal Officer (LSO) provides direction to the incoming pilot, and if necessary, waves off the landing, directing the pilot to abort the landing. The Landing Signal Officer (LSO) also assesses each approach to landing and grades the pilot on every approach flown. Similarly for helicopter landings aboard smaller vessels, a Landing Signal Enlisted (LSE) provides the same function to inbound helicopters.
Fixed wing aircraft pilots perform Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) approaches on land to simulate landing on an aircraft carrier. These approaches are flown to imitate, as closely as possible, carrier landings and are a critical part of a Navy pilot's initial and in-service training. As on an aircraft carrier, a Landing Signal Officer (LSO) observes, directs and grades every approach to landing. During flight debriefing, pilots receive the Landing Signal Officer's (LSO) detailed assessment of each approach.